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If you venture out to the hair salon, the dentist or a restaurant, check your receipt — some businesses are adding a “COVID-19 surcharge” to compensate for rising food and personal protective equipment (PPE) costs incurred by the pandemic.
According to tweets sent with the Twitter hashtag #COVIDSurcharge, the fee, which is determined by each business, is seen by consumers as either a small price to pay for staying safe in public or “ridiculous” and sour marketing when many are financially hurting from the health crises.
Business owners interviewed by Yahoo Life say the surcharge has been advertised on social media, store signage or over the telephone, a practice recommended by the Federal Trade Commission. “When merchants add additional fees, it is important these fees are clearly and conspicuously disclosed beforehand so consumers know what they’re paying,” an FTC spokesperson tells Yahoo Life.
Last month, Brian Staack, the owner of Bootleggers BBQ in West Plains, Missouri added a 5 percent surcharge to each bill after his meat supplier hiked the prices of ground beef and brisket by 162 percent and almost 200 percent respectively, and he spent $800 on face masks for his staff of 26. But angry customers tied up the restaurant phone line. “The harassment our employees took, mostly from people across the country, was crazy,” Staack tells Yahoo Life.
So the owner dropped the fee after 48 hours— which cost each table less than one dollar — and raised his meal prices, printing out new weekly menus that reflect the increase.
Brad White, the owner of Goog’s Pub & Grub in Holland, Mich., added a $1 surcharge to each meal when the price of meat catapulted. “I went from paying $1.80 for an eight-ounce hamburger patty to $4,” he tells Yahoo Life. “We were selling at a loss.” Shutting down the dining room also meant spending $8,542 on paper napkins, plates and cups from March to June (last year, during the same period, he spent almost $2,500 on the same items). Still, people living 400 miles away in Missouri called to complain. Since Goog’s re-opened its dining room at 50-percent capacity on June 8, the surcharge no longer applies.
Meanwhile, in hair salons, where clients sit for hours under stylists, PPE and sanitation are essential. That’s why Oliver Steinnagel, the owner of Oliver’s Hair Salon in Overland Park, Kansas has spent $3,000 on face masks (1,000 of which he’s used since his May 8 re-opening) for staff and customers and $174.99 on eight automatic hand sanitizers.
Steinnagel also lost business by removing 18 chairs for social distance measures and staggering appointments to adequately sanitize and dry each station. “You calculate all these [extra] costs and it’s in the thousands,” he tells Yahoo Life. The salon temporarily added a $3 charge to each bill, which Steinnagel says most clients understand.
Rinse, a laundry-and-dry clean delivery service, which operates in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C., made its $5 “Health & Safety Fee” easier to bare — customers that picked up orders on or after April 16 receive a full credit three months from the date of delivery to be used within a six-month period. CEO Ajay Prakash tells Yahoo Life in a statement, “Overall customer response to our Health & Safety Fee has been positive and understanding, primarily because we were transparent [and] emphasized this was temporary...”
You might even see the surcharge following a visit to the dentist. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), some dentists charge more because the cost of PPE “has increased considerably.”
“The dental business model is different from the medical model,” an ADA spokesperson tells Yahoo Life. “Almost all dental practices must now adhere to higher infection control standards and face increasing prices for personal protective equipment to protect our patients and care providers. The large majority of dental practitioners are solo or small business groups and the cost for each patient visit has increased for procedures in the dental office.”
The ADA wants dentists to make surcharges absolutely clear and “has recommended that dental benefit carriers should either adjust the maximum allowable fees for all procedures to cover the increased costs of PPE or allow an additional standard fee per date of service per patient,” a spokesperson tells Yahoo Life. David Allen, a spokesperson for America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) adds that some dental plans have volunteered to pay for PPE for specific periods of time and at different amounts, arranged for PPE discounts from dental supply vendors or made grants and loans accessible to dentists.
But not all doctors are following suit. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) tells Yahoo Life that its practice management analysts are not aware of the surcharge and the American College of Physicians (ACP) declined to comment when asked by Yahoo Life.
"Any private business can put any surcharge they want on any service they provide, because of the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise," Barry Moore, president and chief executive officer at Better Business Bureau of Central Virginia tells Yahoo Life. "However, I strongly urge businesses doing so, if they want to keep their customers coming back, to post an easily seen public notice to the fact —on entrances, menus, websites— they'll be adding a 'COVID-19' temporary surcharge to the bill. Always being upfront with consumers on charges, including surcharges, is just good, honest business.”
For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDC’s and WHO’s resource guides.
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Popular Singer, Mayorkun has gifted himself a brand new car ahead of his 25th birthday.
Mayorkun took to his Instagram page to show off his brand new 2018 Mercedes Benz worth 35 million to celebrate his forthcoming 25th birthday.
“About to be 25, sitting on 35 million! I might as well spoil myself a lil! Too grateful! Shouts to @606autos for doing good business! ??? #TMOL.”

domain: news


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If successful Twitter’s Amplify could inspire more publishers (and entrepreneurs) to think about how they can make money by marrying specific pieces of content with specific brands or specific users and leveraging the value of social networks.
As with Ricochet, the Times’ new platform for allowing brands to aggregate Times content and wrap it in their own advertising that I wrote about last week, it’s not hard to see how Compendium could also become a platform for brands to leverage custom aggregation of Times content for their own social media brand building efforts.
Lord Justice Leveson’s high-profile inquiry into phone hacking and unethical behavior by the British press never really tackled the big problems at the heart of the news industry. And what’s worse is that this huge error wasn’t a mistake — but the result of willful ignorance.
As the availability and awareness of open educational resources grows, educators and open-content publishers are experimenting with hackathon-style content collaborations among subject-matter experts to create high school and college textbooks over the course of a few weekends.
For legacy-print publishers with large investments in original content creation, part of creating new value involves treating their content as a marketable commodity online rather than as simply a lure for eyeballs they can sell to advertisers.
Clicking around the Web, you’ve likely noticed links in articles that lead to ads or commerce sites. But LinkSmart, a Boulder, Colo.-based startup, has a plan to use in-text links to help Web publishers optimize traffic and improve reader engagement.
After years away, Rags Gupta returned to online publishing only to discover a brave new world in advertising. But although the formats, tools and technologies have changed, there are truisms that continue to hold. Gupta warns that we would be well-advised to remember them.
Gigya, a startup that provides businesses with a suite of tools to make their sites more social, announced today that it had raised $15.3 million in new funding from Condé Nast’s parent company Advance Publications, Mayfield Fund, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures and Adobe.
In the mid-1990s, DoubleClick co-founder and CEO Kevin O’Connor developed a platform for data-driven advertising. With his latest startup, FindTheBest, he’s aiming to do the same thing for content.
With paywalls coming back into fashion among online news sites, publishers are trying to figure out how high to build them. The Wall Street Journal is hosting a 24-hour “digital open house” today, courtesy of Jaguar, temporarily taking down one of the steepest paywalls in the business. The model is similar to one adopted by the New York Times, which partnered with Ford to offer free digital subscriptions when it erected its new paywall. Chris Hughes, the new, 28-year old owner of The New Republic, just partially dismantled the magazine’s paywall, making more content free but limiting comments and access to the archive to subscribers. The biggest news, though, comes from Google, which is partnering with AdWeek and about two dozen publishers on a new paywall alternative. Under the new Google Consumer Surveys model, some articles on web sites will be partially blocked. To continue reading, users will be asked to answer a multiple-choice, one-question survey. Advertisers will pay Google to place the surveys, and Google will pay publishers 5 cents per answer. Now if Google could just figure out how to keep the surveys embedded in articles as they get aggregated by third parties they might really have something.


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Berjaya Corporation Bhd's (Bcorp) joint venture in Vietnam – Berjaya Gia Thinh Investment Technology Joint Stock Company (Berjaya GTI) – launched its lottery operation in Vietnam in mid-July with its first game, Mega 6/45 Lotto Jackpot Game.BCorp hoped the jackpot game with a minimum VND12 billion (US$533,300) jackpot will excite a new generation of Vietnamese lottery players as well as create a more convenient lottery solution for existing players. "Within the first month of operations, 800 point of sale terminals for Mega 6/45 tickets will be available throughout Ho Chi Minh City with some 10,000 point of sale terminals planned nationwide within the next five years," it said in a statement at the official launch of the lottery operations.BCorp had established a partnership via a business cooperation contract with the Vietnam Computerised Lottery One Member Company Ltd (Vietlott).According to Vietlott, in Ho Chi Minh City there are only five first-level agents who … [Read more...] about 800 American-style lottery points of sales set up in Saigon in two weeks
Point of sale finance
Vincom Shopping Centre in Ha Noi. Viet Nam's consumer loans hit a five-year record high of US$15.12 billion last year — VNS Photo Truong ViThe amount, which was up 44 per cent against 2014, accounted for 10.4 per cent of the country's GDP and 6.8 per cent of the economy's total outstanding loans, the report said. StoxPlus attributed the boom to a significant change in Vietnamese borrowing behaviour and the high demand for housing loans from middle-income earners. The Vietnamese have been turning to finance companies instead of relying on their relatives, friends or the informal finance market to lend them money for spending on goods and services. In addition, as a result of the VND30 trillion preferential lending package from the commercial banks for housing loans, consumer finance companies have tried to increase sales in this segment by offering lower interest rates, resulting in a growth in the consumer loans market. As Viet Nam's consumer finance market grows … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s consumer finance market soars
“All individuals and organizations are banned from trading securities, vehicles, and land in cash” is the draft content on cash payments that will be submitted to the Government by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) in 2013. Mr. Bui Quang Tien, Director of Payment Department, SBV is under the preparation and finalisation of draft decree on cash payment. The latest submission date shall be June 30, 2013 so that the decree can be promulgated this year. In addition to this Decree, in 2013, SBV also has a number of plans to speed up non-cash payment scheme. It is expected that Vietnam will have 250,000 POS (point of sale). The draft decree of the Government of Vietnam for the cash payment has been put forward to gain the ideas of enterprises. The new point in this draft is the regulation on the disallowance of cash payment for the purchase of securities, houses, land and vehicles including cars, motorcycles, electric vehicles which are applied to all the … [Read more...] about Vietnam May Prohibit Purchase of Securities, Houses, Vehicles in Cash
Themed ‘Improving Vietnam’s competitiveness during international integration,’ the 2006 Mid-term Vietnam Business Forum was held by the International Finance Company and the Ministry of Planning and Investment in Hanoi on June 5. The forum is annual activity at threshold of the Mid-term Consultative Group Meeting in Nha Trang on June 9-10. Investment environment improved but not enoughMost donors said that the Vietnamese investment environment had improved significantly. According to annual survey by the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro), costs for business and production in Vietnam and in 2005 are lower than other countries in the region. According to Jetro, salary for workers and engineers, as well as managers in 2005 tended to increase in Vietnam, from US$120 in 2004 to US$135, but the increase was lower than other countries. International call charge reduced from the fair level in the region in 2004 (US$1.95 against US$1.66) to a lower level … [Read more...] about Vietnam Business Forum: A Turning Point of International Integration
The global economic crisis challenged banks in Vietnam to adapt to new contexts to survive, including enhancement of governance, administration, IT application to expand banking services, and market expansion. IT investment is now a top investment priority for most banks. Remarkable achievementsMr. Nguyen Toan Thang, Vice Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), said the banking innovation project and interbank e-payment system as well as sub-projects conducted by SBV have achieved considerable results. The project aims to transform the traditional payment practices of financial institutions and individuals nationwide. This will enhance competitiveness within the whole economy as well as the banking system and meet the nation’s development goals. Banking Vietnam 2009 Opens in Hanoi The Information Technology Department of the Bank and the International Data Group co-organize the … [Read more...] about Finance and Banking Products and Services: Growth Outlooks
Following a robust surge in 2014, Vietnam’s Consumer Finance Market in 2015 continued to experience the fastest growth for the past 5 years. The outstanding loan balance soared from $10.5 billion in December 2014 to $15.12 billion at the end of 2015, signifying 44.1 per cent growth.Figure 1: Consumer Loan Balance ($bn), %Consumer Loans/GDP, %Consumer Loans/Loan BookAccording to StoxPlus’s analysis, the robust growth of the Vietnamese Consumer Finance Market resulted from the significant change in customer behaviour and the middle class’respectively high demand for housing loans. The transition in the borrowing behaviour of customers from borrowing from relatives, friends or the informal finance market to more formalized methods at finance companies also had a positive implication on the lending market.Despite the favourable environment, the Vietnamese Consumer Finance Market has become more and more competitive with an increasing number of participants. Indeed, the … [Read more...] about FinTech – Solution or Challenge to Vietnamese Consumer Finance companies?
At StoxPlus Executive Breakfast event on “Vietnam Consumer Finance Market 2016” last week, the representative from the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) together with 20 high-profile executives from foreign, local consumer finance companies, e-wallet and payment companies gathered for the first time and had a very active discussion on the strong growth of Vietnam’s consumer finance market throughout last year. Specifically, according to StoxPlus’ latest report on the market, the total outstanding consumer loans in 2015 reached $15.12 billion, with CAGR of 44.1 per cent.However, consumer finance companies only accounted for $2 billion of these loans, showing that there is still significant room for growth. Leading companies in the market are FE Credit, Home Credit and HD Saison Finance.StoxPlus noted that the most important distribution channel for consumer finance companies is point-of-sale (POS) via retail stores. “However, consumer finance companies now face … [Read more...] about StoxPlus promotes consumer finance
The amount, which was up 44 % against 2014, accounted for 10.4 % of the country’s GDP and 6.8 % of the economy’s total outstanding loans, the report said.StoxPlus attributed the boom to a significant change in Vietnamese borrowing behaviour and the high demand for housing loans from middle-income earners. The Vietnamese have been turning to finance companies instead of relying on their relatives, friends or the informal finance market to lend them money for spending on goods and services.In addition, as a result of the VND30 trillion preferential lending package from the commercial banks for housing loans, consumer finance companies have tried to increase sales in this segment by offering lower interest rates, resulting in a growth in the consumer loans market.As Vietnam’s consumer finance market grows strongly, it has also become more competitive with the participation of more players.According to the report, the market last year witnessed the acquisition of many … [Read more...] about Consumer finance market soars
HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Consumer Finance Market (CF) in Vietnam has witnessed the fastest growth in 2015 - domestic and foreign-owned finance companies in Vietnam are in a fierce competition for a slice of the consumer loans market.Following a robust surge in 2014, VietnamConsumer Finance Market in 2015 continued to experience the fastest growth for the past 5 years. The outstanding loan balance soared from US$10.5bn in December 2014 to US$15.12bn at the end of 2015, with 44.1% growth.According to StoxPlus's analysis, the robust growth of VietnamConsumer Finance Marketresulted from the significant change in customer behavior and the respectively high demands for housing loan of middle class. The transition from borrowing behavior of customers from borrowing from relatives, friends or informal finance market to more formalized method at finance companies also had a positive implication on lending market. In addition, as a result of the VND30,000 billion preferential lending … [Read more...] about FinTech – Solution or Challenge to Vietnam Consumer Finance companies?
Home Credit Vietnam Finance Limited Company has been named “Best Consumer Finance Company” and “Most Innovative Consumer Finance Company” in Viet Nam by UK’s Global Banking & Finance Review, thanks to the company’s business effectiveness, customer product benefits, and execution activities that enhance financial knowledge among the community where enterprises grow.In April 2015, Home Credit was the first consumer finance company introducing zero per cent loans for purchases made via mobile phones. The product, which was welcomed by many customers, launched a new trend in the country’s consumer finance company community.The company still leads in the number of products allowed with a zero percent installment loan for purchasing. As of now, more than 70 per cent of purchases for consumer durables have been lent by the company at a zero per cent interest rate.At the end of 2015, the company was the first consumer finance company to launch … [Read more...] about Home Credit Vietnam Finance named “Best Consumer Finance Company”


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MARSHALL - Members of the Marshall City Council took a look at possible ballot questions for two proposed local sales taxes on Tuesday night. After council discussion and a 5-2 vote, the wording of two ballot questions was approved.
Marshall City Administrator Ben Martig explained the draft ballot questions to council members during their regular meeting. The draft questions had been revised, Martig said, to clarify what sales would be included under a proposed 1.5 percent food and beverage tax.
Martig said the council could not endorse any action regarding the proposed taxes - it could only approve the wording that goes on the ballot in November.
There were two proposed yes/no questions. The first asked whether the city of Marshall should impose a .5 percent sales and use tax, and a 1.5 percent tax on food and beverages intended for on-premises consumption, to pay for facilities at the Minnesota Emergency Response and Industrial Training (MERIT) Center in Marshall. The second asked whether the city of Marshall should impose a .5 percent sales and use tax, and a 1.5 percent tax on food and beverages intended for on-premises consumption, to pay for a regional amateur sports complex.
Martig said the local food and beverage tax would not apply to items the state doesn't tax.
"This isn't for food like in grocery stores," Martig said. "On-premises consumption" refers to prepared food and beverages, like those served in restaurants.
Martig said the local sales tax also wouldn't apply to sales of motor vehicles. However, he said, there would be a $20 excise tax on local vehicle sales if the questions pass.
"I'd like to have four votes," said council member Charlie Sanow. Sanow also asked if the taxes would be enough to fund the two projects, if applications for grants from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development were unsuccessful. quest for MERIT Center expansions were left off the Minnesota state bonding bill.
"Our full intent is that the sales taxes cover the full cost of the project," Martig said.
Council member Mike Boedigheimer said he favored keeping the two questions. The .5 percent tax and 1.5 percent tax were meant to work together, he said.
"I think tying them together makes the most sense," he said.
Council member Larry Doom said he thought having more than two questions on the ballot would be too confusing for voters.
The council passed the proposed ballot questions 5-2, with Sanow and Jennie Hulsizer casting the votes against.
The full language of the ballot questions is available through the city council's paperless meeting website, council.marshallmn.com.


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As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take a toll on the automotive industry, companies like Tesla are having to make some changes.
On Saturday, Reuters reported that Tesla has lowered the price of yet another one of its vehicles, the Model Y mid-sized SUV.
The Model Y, which was revealed back in March 2019, launched in March 2020 at $52,990 (Long Range model). According to Tesla's website, the model is now offered at a starting price of $49,990 (before potential savings).
The nearly six percent decrease in price comes after Tesla lowered the Model 3, Model X, and Model S prices in May. In July, it was also revealed that although Tesla delivered more vehicles in Q2 than Q1, compared to the company's production and deliveries stats for Q1, fewer vehicles were produced in Q2. (103,000 vehicles produced in Q1 and 82,272 produced in Q2.)
However, it's worth noting that while the price of several Tesla models may be cheaper than they were at the start of 2020, in June Tesla announced yet another increase in the cost of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) package. Founder and CEO Elon Musk, tweeted that Tesla's most luxurious, feature-packed upgrade package would be increasing by $1,000, and would cost $8,000 starting July 1.
Reminder that Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) price goes up by $1k on July 1st
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 22, 2020
There's no doubt that the car industry is taking a major hit as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but although companies have been slashing prices to help maintain sales, it's clear Tesla isn't afraid to bump up other auto-related costs like the FSD.


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Air Canada to launch flights to 12 U.S. cities; JW Marriott opens at Mall of America; and Grinchmas comes to Carnival. Here are the latest travel updates.
The JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America opened this week with 342 elegantly appointed guestrooms, a three-story lobby, and a ballroom that can accommodate 1,700 guests. The hotel is located in Bloomington, near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Courtyard by Marriott has expanded its reach in the Caribbean with its first hotel in Jamaica, Courtyard by Marriott Kingston, Jamaica. The hotel is located in New Kingston, the city’s business center and offers casual dining in Centro restaurant, which features burgers and Jamaica’s famous “jerk chicken pasta.”
Starwood Hotels & Resorts debuted a new brand in Algeria with Four Points by Sheraton Oran, which is positioned on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea for breathtaking views. The hotel features 170 guestrooms, including 20 suites, a 24-hour fitness center, Jacuzzi, rooftop pool, a spa, and a Hamam (Turkish bath).
Sheraton debuted in South Australia this week with the signing of the Sheraton Adelaide, scheduled to open in 2019. The new property will be part of a mix-use development with luxury residential apartments, offices, and retail space.
Hyatt introduced Hyatt Place Washington D.C./National Mall, offering accommodations within walking distance of the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the World War II and MLK Jr. Memorials, and more. The hotel also boasts free Wi-Fi, an outdoor salt-water pool, and a rooftop bar and lounge with views of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Pentagon, and more.
Travel Weekly reports Accor opened Pullman Paris Roissy CDG Airport and Ibis Styles Roissy CDG Airport, both with 305 rooms, at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) opened a new-build, 35-story hotel in midtown Manhattan. Holiday Inn—New York City-Times Square is a short distance from New York Penn Station, Madison Square Garden, and other famous landmarks, plus a Rattle N Hum West Craft Beer Bar & Kitchen with 49 microbrews on tap.
Crowne Plaza and Holiday Express announced a dual-branded hotel at Heathrow Terminal 4 in London. Crowne Plaza London – Heathrow Terminal 4 and Holiday Inn Express London – Heathrow Terminal 4 are slated to open in 2018 with direct access to the terminal and London Underground.
Opening in 2017, Rosewood Luang Prabang in Laos will be inspired by Lao tradition and French colonial style pic.twitter.com/B88vuXXfXH
— RosewoodHotels (@RosewoodHotels) November 23, 2015
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts announced the company’s first luxury tent and villa encampment, Rosewood Luang Prabang in Laos. Slated to open in 2017, the hotel will be a 10-minute drive from the UNESCO World Heritage Site Luang Prabang, be located in a natural beauty area with a meandering river and waterfall, and boast eight deluxe villa, six private pool villas, and five luxury tents. Each tent has its own private dining area and wrap-around deck.
Travel Weekly reports that ClubHotel Riu Negril has reopened following a $20-million renovation of all 420 rooms, restaurants, bars, and public areas. The hotel also added new Asian and Caribbean themed restaurants, a play area for children, and an adults’ pool.
Grinchmas comes to Carnival Cruise Line with the exclusive Seuss at Sea, featuring The Grinch who will be disrupt on-board festivities, steal various items from crew members, and participate in the end-of-the-cruise holiday show. Face-painting, arts and crafts, and showings of the live action and animated Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas will be shown on Christmas Day. Santa will also appear on board.
Royal Caribbean International was voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for the second consecutive year by the Food and Travel Reader Awards 2015. Food and Travel is one of Mexico’s top magazines. Royal Caribbean also announced that Oasis of the Seas will be receiving the first ever Tiffany & Co. free-standing boutique at seas. The store will be located in the ship’s Central Park and offer Tiffany jewelry, such as engagement rings and Swiss-made watches.
Travel Weekly reports that Majestic Princess will sail in the Mediterranean in April and May 2017 on 7-, 14-, 21-, and 28-day voyages before heading to its new homeport in Shanghai.
Oceania Cruises will be adding new programs and tours as part of its Culinary Center. The new programs will be introduced in December 2016 on Riviera, which will include a Cuban Family Table for traditional Cuban dishes; Patio Pleasures with professional grilling techniques; and Wake Up to Brunch for mastering egg cookery. Culinary Discovery Tours will feature local food markets, restaurants, vineyards, and cooking school with regional culinary experts in Honduras, Cozumel, and San Juan.
Travel Weekly reports that Fathom cruises will offer conversational Spanish classes, helping passengers to communicate with locals in Cuba or the Dominican Republic. The cruise line will also have classes for merengue and salsa, dances popular in the Dominican Republic and Cuba, respectively.
JetBlue Airways advises customers to arrive no less than two hours early to flights to Tampa International Airport (TPA) as terminal construction will create traffic delays in/around the airport, plus limited parking.
JetBlue announced that unlimited streaming entertainment on Amazon Video is available on more than 150 aircraft with free Fly-Fi broadband Internet.
Delta Air Lines announced it received four awards in Recommend magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award, including “Best Travel Agent Support” for the fifth consecutive year. Other awards included favorite airline in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Etihad introduced Airbus 380 service between the United Arab Emirates to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) this week. –
— USA TODAY Travel (@usatodaytravel) November 24, 2015
Air Canada will begin new daily non-stop service between four hubs and 12 U.S. cities. From Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal (YUL), new service will land at Denver International Airport (DEN) on June 4, 2016; William P. Hobby Airport in Houston (HOU) on June 6, 2016; and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL; twice daily) on May 24, 2016. From Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), new daily flights will launch to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) on May 27, 2016; Portland International Airport (PDX) on May 26, 2016; Washington, D.C.-Dulles International Airport (IAD; twice daily) on May 2, 2016; and Jacksonville International Airport (JAX; two-times per week) on May 21, 2016. From Calgary International Airport (YYC), new service includes Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) three times a week, which will continue from winter service; and San Francisco International Airport (SFO), starting June 18, 2016. Finally, service from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) will fly to Chicago, starting June 4, 2016; San Diego International Airport (SAN) on June 2, 20016; and San Jose International Airport (SJC; twice daily) on May 9, 2016.


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U.S. pork industry playing defense on trade
While the Trump administration has pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and started renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the National Pork Producers Council is working hard to maintain or expand pork export markets.
Kevin Schulz, National Hog Farmer
Aug 11, 2017
If the sports world saying that defense makes the best offense holds true, U.S. pork producers should be sitting pretty.
Export markets are big factors for the entire U.S. economy, and U.S. pork producers look to foreign markets to purchase pork product; currently about 27% of total U.S. pork production finds its way to foreign markets.
The National Pork Producers Council looks to maintain and improve the amount of U.S. pork finding its way onto international tables, but that is proving more difficult with the Trump administration looking to make America great again by renegotiating or pulling out of trade deals.
“We (NPPC) are playing defense right now,” says Nick Giordano, NPPC vice president and counsel for Global Government Affairs, in light of the Trump administration following through on campaign promises to pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. In an NPPC press release it was stated that under TPP, which was strongly supported by the NPPC, Japan’s tariffs on pork, which are determined through a so-called gate price system, would have been nearly eliminated. Economist Dermot Hayes of Iowa State University estimates that U.S. pork exports to Japan would have increased exponentially under TPP, creating more than 5,000 new U.S. jobs.
The Japanese market, and all of Asia, is a potential growth market for U.S. pork, but that potential was put in jeopardy with the recent announcement that the European Union and Japan have reached agreement in principle on a trade pact. Upon that news, the NPPC renewed its request for the Trump administration to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement with Japan. NPPC was the first organization to go public requesting a bilateral agreement with Japan in February when Trump announced the United States would be pulling out of TPP.
Giordano says the United States currently has free trade agreements with 20 countries, and the U.S. pork trade with those 20 countries clearly indicates the importance of such FTAs. “We do more business with those 20 countries than the rest of the 100 countries that we do business with combined. … and these do not include Japan and China, so that just shows how successful these FTAs have been.”
“We’d like Japan to be No. 21,” he says. The EU-Japan agreement is a great concern to the NPPC and U.S. pork producers, as that deal “would likely be implemented in January of 2019, if not before. … that will impact U.S. pork producers, U.S. agriculture and that’s going to impact on a wider scale other sectors of the economy because Japan will be giving preferences to the EU that we don’t get, and as a nation that makes us less competitive.”
“This agreement really drives home the importance of market access and helps illustrate why the U.S. meat industry was so supportive of the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” says U.S. Meat Export Federation Economist Erin Borror, speaking of the EU-Japan partnership...


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Meridian Energy is supporting the opportunity to increase the uptake of EVs created by Government’s new transport plan.
The Government has announced its plan to create a resilient, efficient, safe and responsible transport system which Meridian believes will help increase uptake and adoption of EVs in New Zealand.
Neal Barclay, Meridian Chief Executive says, “We’re encouraging New Zealanders to embrace this sustainable technology. Electric vehicles are not only much better for the environment but they have lower ongoing running costs.”
“More than 90% of New Zealand’s transport emissions come from road transport, making our transport sector one of the most emissions intensive in the world. Electric transport, combined with our large proportion of renewable energy, provides us with a unique opportunity to significantly reduce our emissions and combat climate change,” says Neal.
Last month Meridian launched a new, nationwide Electric Car Plan, offering customers low night rates from 9pm until 7am, and until 31 August this year, they will also cover the cost of EV charging for a whole year.
“We’re walking the talk when it comes to electric vehicles. We’re on track to meet our commitment of 50% conversion of our passenger fleet to fully-battery electric by the middle of this year”.
Meridian has also partnered with electric car sharing companies and has installed free electric car charging stations at Kiwi Property shopping malls around the country.
Meridian’s latest campaign is encouraging the uptake of electric vehicles by asking Kiwis to take on electric vehicle leader Norway. Check out the campaign, test your EV knowledge and be into win the ultimate EV experience by visiting meridianenergy.co.nz/takeonnorway


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KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Hunt Brothers Pizza, the No. 1 made-to-order pizza brand in convenience stores across the United States, is expanding its partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) to include a four-race sponsorship of Kevin Harvick in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.
Hunt Brothers Pizza has been involved with SHR since 2014, serving as an associate sponsor of Harvick and the No. 4 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team while also being the official pizza of SHR.
As SHR expands its operation into the XFINITY Series for the first time in 2017, Hunt Brothers Pizza will be the primary sponsor of Harvick’s No. 41 Ford Mustang April 8 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, May 27 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, July 7 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta and Sept. 2 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. Hunt Brothers Pizza will also serve as an associate sponsor of SHR’s No. 00 Ford Mustang driven by XFINITY Series rookie-of-the-year contender Cole Custer.
“NASCAR has been a strong platform for Hunt Brothers Pizza thanks to the roles Kevin Harvick and Stewart-Haas Racing have played in representing our brand,” said Keith Solsvig, vice president of marketing, Hunt Brothers Pizza. “NASCAR fans love to travel and visit convenience stores. We want to continue to show our appreciation to our store partners and their consumers. Having our own Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang on the racetrack with a partner like Kevin is a great way to showcase how we constantly strive for excellence.”
Prior to winning the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series championship, Harvick won two XFINITY Series titles in 2001 and 2006. The 41-year-old from Bakersfield, California, has 46 XFINITY Series wins to augment his 35 NASCAR Cup Series victories.
“I’ve always enjoyed competing in the XFINITY Series,” Harvick said. “With Stewart-Haas Racing starting a new program, I’m excited to be a part of the building process because it will make us stronger going forward as a company. I’m proud to continue working with Hunt Brothers Pizza and seeing their colors on my Ford Mustang.”
Hunt Brothers Pizza became involved in NASCAR as a team partner in 2008 when the company sponsored Haas CNC Racing, the precursor of SHR. Hunt Brothers Pizza aligned with Harvick in 2011, and 2017 marks its seventh year with the veteran driver.
CREDIT: Stewart-Haas Racing


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Chico's FAS Inc. is bursting at the seams and will grow its headquarters in Fort Myers – again.The women's retailer has received $3.26 million in Lee County and state incentives to support its latest expansion.The expansion will create 150 new jobs over the next three years, paying about $11.3 million in salaries. During that same time, the company will receive $1.05 million through Florida's Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund program and from the county, which approved a 20 percent match of the state money.Additionally, Chico's will get $1 million through the state's Quick Action Closing Fund, plus $1 million in matching dollars from Lee County.
Other incentives include a state training grant totaling $210,000.
Chico's was founded in 1983 as a small boutique selling Mexican folk art and cotton sweaters on Sanibel Island. Now, the company operates more than 1,200 boutiques and outlet stores. It has four brands: Chico's, White House/Black Market, Soma Intimates and Boston Proper, its newest acquisition.
There are 1,250 employees working at the company's corporate office, at 11215 Metro Parkway. Since 2002, Chico's has added more than 850 jobs and invested more than $200 million at its headquarters.
A company spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment. In a statement, Kent Kleeberger, an executive vice president and chief operating officer for Chico's, said the expansion project could involve an initial investment of $25 million over the first 18 months, then another $6 million to $10 million in fiscal 2013 and 2014.
Additionally, he said, the expansion could generate more tax revenue for the state and the county, increase spending in local stores and restaurants and create indirect jobs through the company's increased business with vendors and contractors.
The Fort Myers Regional Partnership, which works to create new jobs in Lee County, officially announced the expansion on Thursday.
"This is a company that started business 28 years ago and has grown to become the nationally known corporation that it is today. All right here in Lee County," said Jim Moore, the partnership's executive director, in a statement.
In August, Lee County commissioners agreed to give $1 million from the Lee FIRST program to an unnamed company. There was speculation that the money was for Chico's, though the company wouldn't confirm it at the time.
The county created the FIRST program in 2008, setting aside $25 million to help create jobs and boost the local economy. A handful of other companies have taken advantage of the program.
Chico's also is tapping money from the county's Job Opportunity program, the county's long-standing incentive program, to help pay for its growth.
A groundbreaking ceremony for its new building is set for Thursday.
"From what I understand they've already got the development order and they've already begun," said Jennifer Berg, a spokeswoman for the Fort Myers Regional Partnership.
With Lee County's high unemployment rate, the expansion is welcome news.
"We certainly have a long ways to go in closing the employment gap," Berg said. "But we are fortunate that we are seeing a number of expansions and potential location opportunities in the community."
Contact Laura Layden at www.naplesnews.com/staff/laura_layden.
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Defining the new normal in manufacturing supply chain management – three experts have their sayadmin
As the global economy slowly begins to resume activity, thoughts are naturally turning to how we define the ‘new normal’ for manufacturing. There’s been much speculation around how the world organizes its supply chains after the unprecedented disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
One thing that is becoming increasingly clear is that the manufacturing world cannot return to its reliance on fragmented and fragile supply chain logistics. And numerous industry leaders are urging their peers to view this moment as a chance for a hard reset on how we manage supply in the manufacturing sector.
Martin Vares, founder of Fractory, a manufacturing-as-a-service platform headquartered in the UK – and recent honoree in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 list – believes the disruption caused by the pandemic should push entire industries to reconsider their approach to procurement and supply chain management:
“The current situation is of course extreme. A lot of supply chains are suffering, as manufacturing companies are reducing their workforce or even halting operations. International freight adds an extra layer of complexity. Thus, a lot of engineering companies are searching for solutions that address the manufacturing process and the shipping process at the same time. I think this is why we’ve experienced a significant increase in interest in our service, as it addresses both problems simultaneously.
“Our platform offers instant manufacturing quotes online and we take care of everything from quoting to delivery. But the manufacturing side is outsourced to our pre-vetted partners. Some engineers have been wary of us “being just a middleman”. They are now seeing the perks. With over 25 partners, we are not affected by small fluctuations in capabilities. And the same applies to our customers.
“Contractors winning big jobs often don’t want to overwhelm their own production by using it for one order only. So they outsource parts of these large orders.
“Now, during the NHS crisis in the UK, there are huge jobs going around in an industry where the ties have not been established over the years, hence new companies are winning big jobs. And they, in turn, are looking for partners to help them.”
“Fractory is just someone who can easily help other companies with managing the load. We are not being used by engineers only, other manufacturing companies often turn to us with the same objective.
“Fractory’s automated manufacturing platform can rapidly switch between a network of partners to secure continuity of supply for our customers. Thus, it continues to run on full power and has been able to assist with large orders related to the NHS.
“While the current situation brings a lot of uncertainty, digital manufacturing’s strength is becoming evident,” concludes Vares
Tata Steel’s Matt Yeates, managing director of the SteelScout procurement platform, says organizations with existing digitised supply chains already have a unique advantage.
“Everybody now is experiencing major changes to their daily lives, learning to adapt to the guidelines for safe operation of our businesses, through to protecting our communities during the pandemic. These challenges mean we reach for new solutions or enhance current approaches.
“The power of digital in solving these problems, from 3D printing to multiple participant video conferencing, has never more been more apparent. Digital enablers for the manufacturing value chain are developing fast and their value at the moment is magnified against the challenges of continuity for key industries and workers.
“Being a digital business means that we’re able to respond quickly and rapidly connect the right buyers with the right suppliers in order to guarantee materials and jobs. We have already supported companies working on key projects, including the manufacturing of ventilators for the NHS, by being able to rapidly quote for and turn around materials and guarantee jobs. And we’re here to support businesses in any way we can during these challenging conditions.”
Srinath Jonnalagadda, Senior Director of Autodesk’s Fusion 360 Go-to-Market believes that once the industry has had time to reflect on its own efficiencies, new norms will emerge. But for now, he and his team are focused on reacting to immediate challenges.
“Fusion 360 has always been set up with collaboration in mind, your data is centralized to the cloud, meaning all teammates have access at any time, anywhere. Right now that advantage is being leveraged by teams to help minimize the disruption to their project work.
“We have opened up these capabilities to everyone, for free, to minimise disruption across entire supply chains.
“To help out professionals and companies that are struggling to cope with disruption in work, we recently rolled out an extended access program, giving everyone access to all of our cloud based tools such as Fusion 360, for free, until the 30th of June. We’re certainly seeing an influx of users looking to Fusion 360 to solve their design problems right now, but the increase is not our focus, we want to ensure people can still work.
“It’s too early to tell if this new way of working will have a positive impact on the sector, there is much to be said about the desire for people to work in person, eye to eye, and we may see the pendulum swing back toward that aggressively in the short term once this is all over, but for manufacturing, just standardizing everyone onto a digital medium is already a major push forward.
“If the conveniences, and efficiency continue to outweigh any potential drawbacks (and they continuously will!) then a predominantly digital workflow shall emerge as the new paradigm.
“Eventually companies will all be prepared for the system shocks that occur with global crises or unforeseen circumstances, and today that solution means moving to an increasingly digital and cloud driven way of working.
“The ultimate end-goal for manufacturing lies with centralized systems. If we can move towards fabrication strategies as we see in semi-conductor factories, with less and less human intervention, we can increase accuracy and open new possibilities up with automation, bringing about the next paradigm shift in technology and manufacturing.”


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In the race to be crowned India’s most valuable company in terms of market capitalization, there are three contenders, namely, Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Industries, Natrajan Chandrasekaran led Tata Consultancy Services and a distant third in Aditya Puri led HDFC Bank. The three corporate behemoths differ greatly in terms of the way they operate their businesses, in terms of revenues and market valuations.
Coming to the first and most important parameter of market cap. RIL and TCS have always been neck to neck in terms of market cap with Reliance reclaiming the status as the country’s most valuable company last month. TCS, however, overtook Reliance again just a fortnight ago to claim the crown when its shares rose 2.39% to close at ₹ 2,231 on June 10th.
As things stand today, TCS leads the pack with a market cap of close to ₹ 8,51,000 crore or ₹ 8.51 Trillion, RIL is next to follow with ₹ 8,21,450 crore or roughly ₹ 8.21 Trillion and India’s largest private banking institution HDFC Bank is a distant third with a market cap of ₹ 6,64,000 crore or ₹ 6.64 Trillion. Other companies that feature on the list include India’s biggest FMCG Company Hindustan Unilever Ltd, India’s largest mortgage lender HDFC, another FMCG giant ITC, Infosys, SBI, Kotak Mahindra Bank and ICICI Bank.
Sticking to the top two entities on this list; although TCS has outpaced Reliance Industries so far this year gaining 19% compared to RIL’s 14%, analysts seem to be in favour of the oil to telecom conglomerate going forward this year. While the refining and petrochemical businesses of RIL remain weak and it has massive amounts of debt on its books; growth in Reliance Jio and its retail businesses that have high profit margin are expected to offset the slowdown in its core business. Add to that, it has plans for demerging its fiber assets to a separate infrastructure investment trust which would help reduce debt and deleverage its balance sheet.
For TCS, although the management continues to expect a double digit growth trend, its most important market remains North America, and with the recent H1-B visa restrictions imposed by the Trump administration, things could get a little tight.
Another very important parameter for stock picking is Price Earnings or PE Ratio, which is; the value or share price of the company is how many times its earnings potential. The lower this ratio, the better is the investment opportunity in the company as it means the stock is undervalued. While TCS and RIL operate in different sectors and their PE Ratios cannot be directly compared, the chart gives us an idea of the valuation metrics of the two firms which clearly seem to be favouring RIL.
And because the valuation of TCS is so rich and it commands a hefty premium, any disappointment on the earnings front could see its share price tank.


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Each week in this column, I bash a stock that I think will head lower. But I offset that sting by recommending three potential portfolio replacements. Who gets tossed out this week? Come on down, Dunkin' Brands
I'm still shocked at how ravenously the market gobbled up Dunkin' Donuts' parent company last week.
I thought it was richly valued when it went public at $19 last week, for a market cap of $2 billion. But Dunkin' has now become a $3.5 billion company, closing higher in each of its four trading days.
What's the appeal here? There is clearly expansion potential on the West coast, but why Dunkin' Donuts? Its comps have been negative in two of the past three years, and its smaller Baskin-Robbins scoop shops in the U.S. have posted negative store-level comps for three years in a row. Folks will argue that doughnuts or ice cream cones matter less than Dunkin's increasingly popular cups of java. Even so, the company's store-level growth hasn't been able to keep pace with inflation for years.
The franchise model is supposed to yield chunky margins, but we're not seeing that at all here on the net margin line. Growth is stagnant at Dunkin', and its brand may be more of a liability than an asset in a health-conscious future.
There's a reason why Krispy Kreme
That said, I don't talk down a stock unless I have three alternatives that I believe will outperform the company getting the heave-ho:
This specialty retailer of premium loose-leaf teas and artisan teas wares also went public last week, and it's everything that Dunkin' is not.
Revenue grew 38%, to $124.7 million last year, fueled by expansion and an 8.7% spike in comps. Earnings more than doubled to $12 million -- or $14.1 million on a pro forma basis. In other words, this small chain of a mere 180 stores is already generating healthier net margins than Dunkin'.
Teavana generated $994 in sales per gross square foot last year, trouncing most of its mall neighbors. Selling 100 different varieties of teas at steep markups may seem like a lousy business during an iffy economy, but Teavana has managed to post strong comps in each of the past three years.
If the retail potential of Dunkin' Donuts coffee is the main attraction here, why not go directly to the source? Smucker distributes Dunkin's packaged coffee in grocery stores.
On its own, the jelly and java giant is a pretty good investment. It yields a respectable 2.5% dividend, and trades at an earnings multiple in the teens. J.M. Smucker has also beaten Wall Street's profit targets in each of the past 12 quarters. Maybe Dunkin' will grow enough to beat this market-beater, and return money to its shareholders through a generous payout policy, but why chance it? Smucker is already there, and Dunkin's licensing deal with Smucker will also fuel retail sales for the latter if Dunkin' can successfully expand its territorial reach.
There are plenty of quality coffee plays out there. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
However, I'm turning to a darling baked-goods shop for my final replacement. Unlike Dunkin' Donuts, Panera stays busy long after the breakfast crowds have moved on. Its sterling reputation for freshly baked sandwiches and hearty soups has helped Panera deliver reliable double-digit growth for years. That's unlikely to change in the years to come.
I'm sorry, Dunkin'. Just call me Cruller de Vil.
The Motley Fool owns shares of Starbucks. Motley Fool newsletter services have variously recommended buying shares of Panera Bread, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and Starbucks; creating a lurking gator position in Green Mountain; and shorting Green Mountain. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz doesn't mind taking out the garbage every so often. He does not own any of the stocks in this story. Rick is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early. The Fool has a disclosure policy.


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All the companies recently rumored to be considering buying Twitter - including Google, Disney, Apple and Salesforce - are likely to take a pass.
Secret Conversations isn't the greatest, but it isn't the worst.
Google's big hardware launch event, held Tuesday in San Francisco, will inevitably be compared to Apple's iPhone 7 launch last month. But for Google, hardware is really just a gateway for its AI ambitions.
Removing ports and jacks has been the norm for Apple, but this time around, getting a more powerful iPhone might not be worth losing the headphone jack.
Prince didn't want his videos on YouTube and argued that the service didn't compensate artists fairly. He's not alone, and musicians ranging from Katy Perry to Tony Bennett have recently stepped up efforts to change laws that they say allow major online services to earn billions of dollars from illegal copies of their work.
News may start on Twitter, but it quickly migrates to other services, which may not bode well for the company.
At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, everyone from Hollywood insiders to hardcore pornographers showed up to share their vision for the virtual future.
Startup founder Matt Dalio wants everyone in the world to have a personal computer by 2025.


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Source: Taiwantrade | Updated: 23 December 2011
Global demand for Taiwan’s high performing and low priced machinery, machine tools, and parts had grown tremendously this year. The phenomenon began earlier this year, around the time when Taiwan’s signing of the trade agreement with China came into effect. With November and December expected to generate US$17bn to US$18bn worth of exports, the industry’s annual export figure is very likely to go over the US$20bn mark. Taking into account Taiwan’s local market and last minute orders from factories in Thailand, the industry’s total sales this year may reach as high as US$30bn.
Click on machinery for related products on Taiwantrade.


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The company’s logistics revenue is expected to reach THB 480 million, a 60% increase from THB 300 million in 2015.
“We also expect to break even this year, after facing a loss of 100 million baht last year, thanks to our cost-effectiveness strategy”, said Warakan Srinualnad, chief executive of Thailand Post Distribution, the logistics arm of Thailand Post.
Thailand’s logistics market has experienced an average annual growth rate of 15% per year, highlighting a growing need for high-class logistics service.
Thailand Post began its logistics operations in 2015, mainly serving the pharmaceutical industry, ecommerce and warehouse management. The company has nine of its own storage and distribution facilities in major provinces.
The company projects revenue from its medical and pharmaceutical services to account for 80% (THB 384 million) of the total this year. Ecommerce is set to account for 12% and its warehouse management service is set to generate 8%.
“Thailand Post Distribution expects revenue from its ecommerce service to surge to THB 58 million this year, as that market is booming,” comments Srinualnad.
A version of this appeared in Bangkok Post on June 24. Read the full article here.


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Increase In New Offerings Sparks Long-Gun & Accessory Sales.
The long-gun market received a major infusion of new products at business venues that launched the 2015 Business Year: NASGW, distributor shows, buying groups events and SHOT Show. This is a notable shift from 2014 when many manufacturers presented a relatively modest number of “real” new firearms.
Driven by record-setting sales in 2013, the rationale going into 2014 was, “We can’t keep up with the demand for our present products. Do we really need that many new products?”
Then the crash of 2014 occurred. The lack of new products was cited as one of the reasons for the drop in sales.
“The estimated sell-through of our products from distributors to retailers in the second quarter was adversely impacted by the reduction in overall industry demand, the aggressive discounting of many of our competitors and the absence of recent, significant new product introductions from the company,” said Mike Fifer, Ruger CEO, in late July 2014.
Ruger responded quickly, introducing numerous new products throughout the latter part of last year, capped with additional offerings at the beginning of 2015. Other manufacturers also greatly increased their long-gun offerings for this year, creating much-needed excitement as the industry distances itself from 2014.
There has also been a notable increase in new long-gun accessories, with manufacturers seeking ways to add sales in a soft firearms market.
Leupold Carbine Optic, new for 2015, is “lightweight, but hard-as-nails.”
It has a wide field-of-view and a one-minute-of-view red dot.
Joe Keffer, owner and president of the Sportsman’s Shop in New Holland, Pa., applauds the increase in new products.
“I think it’s good for the dealer. I spoke with Mike Fifer at the SHOT Show and I told him, ‘Keep them coming,’” he said. “There’s always somebody who is going to have to have it just because it’s new — not that they need it or that it fits any particular niche.”
Keffer points out that new offerings don’t always have to be “revolutionary new products” to generate sales.
“We all have those customers who have disposable income, and they walk in the door and you say, ‘You don’t have one of these.’ And before they leave, they do — just because it’s new,” Keffer said.
Keffer entered 2015 on a positive note, with a welcome increase in long-gun sales.
“Our hunting long-gun sales were better this past fall than they have been for a number of years. Even after the hunting season, it carried over into the Christmas season. Those sales were up fairly significantly, I’d say in the 20 percent range, compared to the same period in 2013. The bulk of those were in the low- to mid-price point range,” he said. “Customers who had been putting off buying a hunting rifle decided it was time. I think it was pent-up demand,” he said.
Keffer said his hunting shotgun sales continue, but not on the same pace as hunting rifles.
“Hunting shotguns continue to be soft. Having said that, we did see a bit of improvement in over-and-under shotguns, which had been dead. Those also were in the entry-level models like the Franchi Instinct L and SL — the $1,000 to $1,700 range, as opposed to $2,000-plus models,” Keffer said.
In bird hunting, Keffer’s sales are mixed.
“Waterfowl shotguns continue to be steady. Upland game is not strong anymore. Spring turkey is strong; however, that season doesn’t result in the purchase of a lot of turkey specialty shotguns. Consumers are still shooting sporting clays, with many of them buying a semiauto shotgun and using it for hunting and target shooting,” he said.
In rifles, the Ruger American is the top seller at the Sportsman’s Shop; Benelli is the top-selling shotgun line.
Who are Keffer’s hunting-rifle customers?
“They’re a mixture of men and women customers, but predominately men. However, since companies have come out with more compact versions of hunting rifles, women have taken notice and are buying rifles that are lighter and fit them better,” Keffer said.
Boyds offers more than 100,000 gunstocks, including new models for virtually every
long gun a dealer can offer customers. For 2015, Ruger greatly increased its new
product offerings, many of them in the long-gun category.
The MSR Factor
Keffer says MSRs play a role in his traditional hunting rifle sales.
“A lot of consumers spent money on firearms they thought they might not be able to buy later. So a guy who bought an MSR didn’t have the money to get the deer rifle he wanted,” Keffer said.
At the Sportsman’s Shop, MSRs continue to sell, countering prevailing reports that such sales are non-existent.
“A young husband and wife came in around the week before SHOT Show to buy an MSR for her. Earlier, the husband bought an MSR, which she shot, liked and they bought an entry-level MSR for her. Primarily, our MSR sales are made to younger customers, the under-40 demographic.”
Keffer says he’s also seen increases in sales of higher-end MSRs.
“About MSRs — and this has been going on for awhile — a lot of people who bought entry-level rifles have bought some accessories, such as stocks, optics, vertical grips, what-have-you, and they continue to do that. However, there is also a fair number who are buying an upgraded MSR, and most are keeping their entry-level rifle. That is good for us,” Keffer said. “If there’s a strength in the MSR market, that’s where it’s at for us.”
What are Keffer’s upgrades in MSRs?
“An upgrade may merely be from a Smith & Wesson M&P Sport to the M&P Tactical. The other upgrade models we carry are the LWRC and Daniel Defense lines,” Keffer said.
On The Sportsman’s Shop website, Joe Keffer, owner and president, discusses a major
expansion of his operation, which will open in July. SI Digital readers, click the
“Hot Link” logo.
Accessories, Promotions, Profits
As always, long-gun accessories are vital to profits.
“Optics are far and away the biggest sellers in long-gun accessories. There’s always a strong percentage of customers who are looking to upgrade the optics on their hunting rifle or slug gun,” Keffer said.
Keffer’s top-selling optic lines are Leupold, Burris and Bushnell. The “MSR factor” also impacts Keffer’s optic sales.
“We’ve seen a lot of MSR customers, who didn’t buy an optic at the time they bought their rifle, coming back for an EOTech or tactical rifle scope. That’s how we’ve been able to move some of the SKUs we were a little heavy on. We package MSRs with a lower or mid-range optic, which makes it attractive for customers. We package bolt-action hunting rifles with optics, as well,” he said.
These packages are heavily promoted in sales flyers, advertisements and on Facebook.
“We include a little of everything, from muzzleloaders to hunting rifles, to shotguns, to MSRs, to handguns. We try to cover the gamut, even during certain times of the year when we know we may not sell a lot of bolt-action rifles, such as in June or July. We want them to be in front of our customer so when he decides he’s ready to buy; he knows we have the product.
“Have it in inventory” is one of Keffer’s tips for increased long-gun sales.
“First, you’ve got to have them, and you’ve got to have them other than just the three months leading up to hunting season. Keep a variety of calibers, a couple of compact versions and perhaps a couple of left-handed models,” Keffer said.
“Second, even though rimfire ammo has been difficult to get, be sure to stock bolt-action and semiauto rimfire rifles. People still enjoy going out and plinking with them. The rimfire ammo supply is getting better. It’s not as inexpensive as it once was, but it’s available and it’s a lot less expensive than some of the things your customers can do for recreation.”
One of Mossberg’s “The Big 5” for 2015, the Patriot Bolt-Action with Vortex Scope
was a big hit with dealers at SHOT Show. Mossberg has consistently introduced
“truly” new products, resulting in significant gains in market share.
Benelli enters the over-and-under market this year with the 828U, which is
available in nickel-engraved (shown) and black-anodized models. Both sport
interchangeable 26- and 28-inch barrels.
No Doom & Gloom
Given the turmoil in the market during 2014, what does Keffer forecast for 2015?
“I believe this year, barring unforeseen events, we’re going to see sales where they were last year, which is not bad; 2014 was not a bad year. There are some, when they hear that — referring to 2014 — it’s doom and gloom. They view it as a bad year. But, if you look back over five or six years, last year was pretty good. If we can do that this year, I don’t think that would be terrible,” Keffer said.
To “tour” the Sportsman’s Shop, including a preview of Keffer’s expanded operation, visit www.thesportsmansshop.com.
By Russ Thurman
Click Here To View The Shooting Industry March 2015 Issue Now!


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Chances are you have downloaded most of Elliott Smith's rarities from blogs across the net over the past few years. According to Billboard, Olympia's Kill Rock Stars is set to properly release some of them on a double-disc collection in may.
The story is over here:
You might want to check up on these sites for details too:
I think it's time to listen to "Either/Or" again, it's so good.


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Not Just a Fad - Producers May Find Opportunities in Consumer TrendsThu, 07 Jul 2016 15:31:38 CDT
Trends in the food business affect people far beyond restaurant diners and retail shoppers. They reach back to the farm and ranch to shape the way food is produced, keeping consumer demand for high-quality, sustainable beef top of mind in the country.
At the National Restaurant Association (NRA) trade show in Chicago this spring, exhibition halls were filled with chefs, culinary and other professionals, ranging from food to beverage, packaging to cookware.
Midan Marketing, which encompasses the food chain from gate to plate from offices in North Carolina and Chicago, shared five beef demand trends noted at the show:
1. Trust and transparency are tops
2. Local is trendy, but fuzzy
3. The Story matters
4. Premium is in
5. Fat is back
“There was a clear theme that attendees were seeking regional or local products, sustainable products and transparency between producer and consumers,” said Steve Hixon, account management director for Midan. Trends were identified from topics in common among exhibitors and presenters throughout the show, he explained.
Some of the biggest changes Hixon noticed were increased demand for added value - both in terms of processing and high-quality beef - and more desire for transparency from producers.
“Cattleman should really see that as an opportunity to do a better job of adding value to the cattle they’re producing by doing simple things,” said Mark McCully, vice president of production for Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB). “Sometimes we look at these things as cattleman and maybe get a little overwhelmed at, ‘What does the consumer fully want to understand?’”
The answers are simple though, he said.
“There are some basic things that I think the market will start rewarding as it relates to source verification, some documentation of animal care, antibiotics, stewardship and those sorts of things,” McCully said.
Those components combine to create the producer’s “story.”
Hixon said producers at the show who stood out in telling their story demonstrated being “genuine and transparent. No smoke and mirrors but complete openness to the process and the distribution.”
“Small farmers should focus on their niche,” he said. “Don’t expect to consume the whole pie. Capture your piece and do it well.”
And they should not feel intimidated competing with larger producers, either. Using the power of social media to reach consumers gets your voice heard, Hixon said.
Combining clear channels of communication with a quality product leads to the top, McCully said, noting that has long been the recipe at CAB.
“It’s kind of the cornerstone of how this brand was built,” he says. “It is understanding that at the end of the day, the consumer still wants a consistently great eating experience and quality products.”
Most cattlemen know some basics of what consumers want, but as trends like the top five from the NRA show become more apparent, McCully said it’s time to think about how to fit those into management and marketing today.
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Alibaba’s Tmall Global now features goods from 14,500 overseas brands, 80% of them selling in China for the first time.
Sharper Image’s web-based sales, including auctions, grew 21% in August to $3.6 million over August last year. Web-based sales excluding auctions grew 38%. Total company sales increased 40%.
Web-based sales, including web auctions, at San Francisco-based Sharper Image Corp. grew 21% in August to $3.6 million over August last year, the company reported today. Web-based sales excluding auctions grew 38%. Total company sales for the month increased 40% to $34.5 million from last August`s $24.6 million. Web sales, including auctions, accounted for 18% of all sales vs. 19% a year ago.
Store sales increased 27% to $19.5 million from $15.3 million; comparable store sales increased 15%. Catalog sales increased 81% to $11.4 million from last August`s $6.3 million. Catalog sales, excluding wholesale, increased 38%.
"We are very pleased with our outstanding August sales," said Richard Thalheimer, chairman and CEO. "In August, we continued to enjoy strong sales gains across all channels--stores, Internet, catalog and wholesale. We believe these sales gains are especially noteworthy given the current uncertainties facing the U.S. economy.”


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Interestingly, less than 60 years after the Toyopet
debacle, Toyota's luxury brand, Lexus, has become an icon worldwide.
That's when the automaker's first Toyopet
Crown auto reached U.S.
Toyota City, Japan, June 26, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation announces the launch of its completely redesigned Crown in Japan and the start of sales at all nationwide "Toyota" dealers (including for the Tokyo area Toyopet
and "Toyota" dealers).
The automaker aims to sell these models at around 4,800 Toyota, Toyopet
, Corolla and Netz dealerships.
Excluding its luxury Lexus brand, Toyota has four dealership channels for the Toyota brand vehicles and the Prius has been sold at two of the four -- Toyota and Toyopet
Toyota City, Japan, June 22, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announces the launch of its completely redesigned Century in Japan and the start of sales at all nationwide dealers (including Toyopet
and Tokyo Toyota dealers).
The models will be available on sale at the Toyota, Toyopet
, Corolla and Netz chains from next year.
The key is how the economy will fare,'' Nanao Oguri, who is concurrently president of Nagoya Toyopet
Co., told reporters.
(TSH), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota, and the four TSH subsidiaries, Tokyo Toyota Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo Toyopet
Motor Sales Co., Ltd., Toyota Tokyo Corolla Co., Ltd., and Netz Toyota Tokyo Co., Ltd.
has released a string of special edition cars to mark the 60th anniversary of its Toyota dealership and the 50th anniversary of its Toyopet
(1) Unlike online orders in the presales launch in May 2017, customers can now place orders for Kirobo Mini at Toyota vehicle dealers (including Toyota, Toyopet
, Toyota Corolla, and Netz stores).
For example, distinctive colors will be employed at each of its Toyota, Corolla and Toyopet
dealership networks to better differentiate them, according to the report.


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In 2021 the transport business noticed file earnings as a result of dramatic enhance in container fees. In the identical 12 months, prices additionally grew at a a lot slower fee, permitting transport corporations to generate enormous earnings and dividends. Comparable development is just not forecast for the long run, as economies are starting to sluggish their development and client demand for items falls as inflation reaches file highs.
With that in thoughts, let’s check out two corporations who benefited massively from final 12 months’s transport growth and see in the event that they nonetheless warrant funding in the present day.
ZIM Built-in Transport Companies LTD
ZIM (NYSE: ZIM) offers container transport and associated companies internationally with a fleet of 118 vessels, of which 114 are chartered. Its companies embody door-to-door and port-to-port transportation and a cargo monitoring service. The corporate’s earnings earlier than curiosity and tax (EBIT) grew 228% year-over-year (YoY) to $2.243 billion, with full-year steering raised to between $6.3 billion and $6.7 billion. The corporate generates one of many highest revenue margins within the business on account of its asset-light construction. By chartering most of its vessels, ZIM has extra flexibility when increasing to new commerce routes.
Whereas the majority of the corporate’s income development got here from increased container costs, some development got here from a lift in traded quantity. YoY quantity grew by 5% in Q1 2022 in contrast with a median market decline of 1.8%. It’s forecast that the provision and demand for container ships will converge in 2023, considerably decreasing the costs these corporations can cost. It will significantly damage ZIM’s revenue margins as its income development got here predominantly from the 100% enhance in freight charges over the previous 12 months. The corporate’s deliberate growth will increase prices whereas revenues fall, thus damaging its monetary place and prospects.
Star Bulk Carriers Corp.
Star Bulk Carriers (NASDAQ: SBLK) is engaged within the worldwide transportation of dry bulk cargo similar to iron ore, coal, and grain. It has the biggest bulk fleet amongst its U.S. and EU-listed friends at 128 vessels, with a median age of 10.1 years. The corporate’s income is up 80% YoY to $360.88 million, and internet earnings over the identical interval is up 376% to $170.36 million. This earnings development allowed the corporate to chop its debt which has fallen by 43% since 2020. It additionally allowed the corporate to spice up its dividend fee which reached a yield of 21.31%
China’s zero covid coverage has considerably decreased industrial output, whereas different Asian nations have banned exports of sure meals. These insurance policies will damage the dry bulk commerce as demand for vitality and supplies falls in China and meals exports lower. The corporate predicts that the dry bulk sector will solely develop by 0.3% in 2022 however will enhance in 2023 by 1.7%. This slowing development, together with the anticipated enhance in newly constructed ships in 2023, will put downward strain on costs for transport corporations which can result in decrease dividends.
So are transport shares a worthwhile funding?
The business had an unimaginable 12 months in 2021 by way of earnings, debt discount, dividend funds, and share buybacks. Nevertheless, that development won’t proceed sooner or later, as financial situations cut back the demand for traded items and the provision of vessels will increase, placing downward strain on costs. Though many of those corporations have utilized the pandemic to restore their stability sheets, there are lots of headwinds going through the sector which can trigger loads of harm within the quick to medium time period.


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Could Auto Industry Trends Affect Your Dealership?
- Jul 15, 2016
Sometimes, you can get so busy in the day-to-day job of running your dealership that you neglect to take a step back and look at the big picture. Researching macro trends impacting the automotive industry is a valuable strategic planning exercise.
By pinpointing and understanding these trends, you may be able to uncover new opportunities and avoid potential problems. And this could lead to increased sales and profits down the road.
Safety is in focus
A prevalent trend over the past couple of years has been a sharper focus on vehicle safety features. Lane-keeping assist technology, forward-collision warning systems and backup cameras are a few examples of recent safety features that are becoming more common in vehicles.
This trend is being driven by both consumers and regulatory authorities. Families buying cars for teenagers are especially interested in such features, because fatal crash rates are three times higher among 16- to 19-year-old drivers than among other drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). On the regulatory side, backup cameras will be required in all new vehicles starting in May 2018.
Adding these kinds of safety features will, of course, kick up the total vehicle price. For example, adding a backup camera will cost between $40 and $140 per vehicle, according to NHTSA estimates. With rising costs squeezing already tight margins on new vehicles, you may need to rely even more on your parts and service department to drive future profits.
CAFE standards are rising
Regulators enforce Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards that require vehicles to meet specific targets for fuel efficiency. The NHTSA has set standards to boost CAFE levels rapidly in the coming years.
Specifically, the final passenger car and light truck CAFE standards for vehicle model years 2017–2021 will require an average combined fleetwide fuel economy of 40.3 to 41 miles per gallon by model year 2021. Like required safety features, mandated higher fuel efficiency standards also increase vehicle costs and could crimp your profit margins going forward.
Gas prices remain low
The plunge in gas prices that began in the summer of 2014 is changing the kinds of vehicles that Americans purchase. For example, sales of pickup trucks and SUVs rose 10% last year, according to sales tracker Autodata, which was almost twice the increase in overall vehicle sales.
Meanwhile, sales of some fuel-efficient vehicles fell by double digits. This includes the Toyota Prius hybrid, which saw sales fall by 12% last year, and the Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric car, which saw sales fall by 23% last year.
One positive development for dealerships of this trend is that some consumers are putting part of the money they’re saving at the pump toward the purchase of a more expensive new vehicle. This could increase your dealership’s revenue and profits if the trend continues.
While oil and gas prices can be volatile, most analysts don’t expect them to rise sharply in the near future. Therefore, you might want to take these sales trends into consideration as you plan strategies for what kinds of vehicles to stock going forward.
Customers are more informed
Thanks to the plethora of information available online and via mobile devices, many customers walking into dealerships today are more informed about vehicle choices, features and prices than they were a few years ago. What’s more, this is likely to continue, with car buyers becoming even more knowledgeable in the future.
This trend affects dealerships in many ways. For example, it can be harder to maintain profit levels when customers know the dealer cost of a vehicle, giving them an edge in negotiations. Also, many customers today say they prefer a faster and more hassle-free car-buying experience. Consider these factors in your future vehicle pricing and salesperson training procedures.
Capitalize on trends
Now would be a good time to think about how these macro trends could impact your dealership in the future. As you do, make plans for how you can capitalize on them going forward.
Sidebar: New vehicle safety technology unveiled
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issues Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations to which vehicle manufacturers must conform. In its Priority Plan for Vehicle Safety and Fuel Economy, 2015 to 2017, the NHTSA describes some of the broader changes taking place in vehicle technology that are designed to increase safety.
Among these changes are in-vehicle crash avoidance systems and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications that employ crash-avoidance applications. According to the plan, the NHTSA intends to require V2V capabilities in new vehicles at some time in the future.
Other NHTSA vehicle safety priorities are the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, which prevents vehicles from being driven by drunk drivers, and seatbelt interlock technology. This technology would prevent a vehicle from being driven if the driver and passengers aren’t safely buckled in.
Dealer Insights - July-August 2016
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LeapRate Exclusive… LeapRate has learned from sources in Poland that the country’s Ministry of Finance has decided to delay its plans to further limit the Retail FX and CFDs sector in the country.
Poland was one of the first EU countries to rein in Retail FX trading, passing a law in July 2015 which set maximum leverage for Retail FX positions at 100x (or conversely, requiring margin of 1% on all positions).
This past summer the Polish Ministry of Finance made further recommendations, introducing a draft law to quadruple the required margin in FX trading to 4%, reducing max leverage leverage to 25x. The Ministry also proposed doubling fines to unlicensed brokers which take Polish traders to EUR 2.4 million.
However we are now being told that Polish MoF sources have decided to at least delay the implementation of the new proposals, after pan-European financial regulatory body ESMA decided to look at the issue. ESMA plans to issue recommendations early next year on leverage in trading, which apparently it wants to see implemented across Europe. The UK regulator FCA also decided to delay its proposed leverage restrictions introduced late last year, which included a hard 50x leverage cap on FX and CFD brokerage, once ESMA formally announced that it was examining the issue.
The Polish MoF is also apparently worried that if it goes “too far” in putting the brakes on what retail traders can and cannot do, it might (or will likely) just drive Polish traders into the arms of foreign brokers offering more relaxed trading conditions (and more leverage). We believe that such a phenomenon is occurring in other areas such as Belgium, which put a blanket ban on leveraged FX and CFD trading last year. The properly regulated “good guy” brokers which obey local laws were forced to withdraw and cut ties with Belgian clients, and the void is being filled by unlicensed, offshore brokers. Not exactly a good outcome for Belgian retail traders.
If the Ministry eventually goes ahead and implements its tougher-than-the-rest-of-the-EU rules for leveraged trading, hardest hit will be the brokers with a significant market share among Polish retail FX traders, most notably Warsaw-based broker X Trade Brokers Dom Maklerski SA (WSE:XTB) which operates the XTB.com Retail FX brand and which generates about one-third of its Revenues in its home country. Despite some better financial results of late, XTB shares remain depressed at less than half of their May 2016 IPO value.


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In this undated photo, cranes load foreign trade containers at a port terminal in Qingdao, Shandong province. (YU FANGPING / FOR CHINA DAILY)
BEIJING – China's service trade maintained momentum in the first two months of this year, jumping 33.5 percent year-on-year to nearly 953.5 billion yuan (about $146.6 billion), the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.
Of the total, service exports reached about 467.6 billion yuan, up 39.4 percent year-on-year, and service imports stood at 485.9 billion yuan, increasing 28.3 percent year-on-year.
The growth of service trade exports outpaced import growth by 11.1 percentage points, resulting in a 57.6-percent drop in the service trade deficit
The growth of service trade exports outpaced import growth by 11.1 percentage points, resulting in a 57.6-percent drop in the service trade deficit.
READ MORE: Chinese battery giant dominates global EV battery market
The service trade deficit stood at 18.3 billion yuan, 24.9 billion yuan less than in 2021, according to the ministry.
Trade in knowledge-intensive services raked in 382.4 billion yuan, up 17.9 percent year-on-year.
Knowledge-intensive service exports gained 20.3 percent to 219.7 billion yuan, while knowledge-intensive service imports rose 15 percent to 162.7 billion yuan.
Travel services recovered during the period, as trade in the sector advanced 16.9 percent from last year to 149.8 billion yuan.
ALSO READ: Industry leaders voice high hopes for trade pact
In 2021, China's service trade went up 16.1 percent year-on-year to nearly 5.3 trillion yuan.
China has taken a slew of measures to widen the opening-up of the service industry and pledged to make more efforts to promote the opening-up of trade in services to a higher level.


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While awareness of user privacy has been rising throughout 2015, one of the biggest issues that has inflamed the conversation has been the release of Windows 10.
The latest version of Microsoft’s flagship OS was released as a free download for existing users in July and it defaulted to sharing personal user information with the company. An option to disable the features in question was provided, but even if they were disabled, Windows 10 still seemed to be sending information back to Microsoft.
“Privacy continues to be a hot topic for consumers and it frustrates them to no end when they hear when companies use and expose private information about them without their knowledge,” said Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at Intel.
The Windows 10 privacy controversy brought about plenty of backlash from the tech community but, more than that, it heightened the conversation around expectations of privacy in technology in general. Here are five big takeaways:
1. Personalization vs. privacy
Over the past few years, we have seen a gradual shift in Microsoft’s business model from traditional software to cloud service. However, said SANS Institute fellow Jason Fossen, properly implementing cloud services for individual users requires personal data.
“Microsoft executives didn’t give away free Windows 10 upgrades out of the kindness of their hearts, they need to jump start the Windows Store and Microsoft cloud ecosystem,” said Jason Fossen, fellow at the SANS Institute.
What Microsoft is doing with Windows 10 is nothing new. Tech giants like Google, Apple, and Amazon are all collecting and using personal data to customize and improve the product experience for individual users. The major struggle that has been brought to light is the exchange of personal data for convenience and ease of use. The big question becomes: Do we want better privacy or a better product?
“If we want a better product, it may make sense to allow for some communication to be sent back to Microsoft. It’s no different than we do in Apple with things like Siri. If you don’t use Siri, it doesn’t get any better,” said John Pironti, president of IP Architects.
There’s no definitive answer here, as the individual user will have to choose the level of trade-off that he or she is most comfortable with.
2. Opt-out vs. opt-in
Another issue brought up by Windows 10 was the amount of control users want to exercise over their personal data. With major hacks and breaches hitting the news regularly, many users desire clarity regarding how their data is transmitted, secured, and used.
“Given the sensitivity of privacy that’s arisen over the last couple years, I think it’s fair to say that individuals want the choice to decide how their systems interact with the world,” Pironti said.
Users who downloaded Windows 10 were given the opportunity to opt-out of the default setting for information sharing. This means they were given the chance to disable the features that sent personal data back to Microsoft either at the time of install (if they went with a custom install) or after the fact.
Users in countries like the US have come to accept opt-out as the de facto model for new software and services. However, places such as the UK and EU, Pironti said, have an opt-in model where the default is to send no personal information, but users can click a button, or check box, to allow their information to be used.
This prompts the question of whether we want to be an opt-in society or an opt-out society. Also, though, do we appreciate the implications of what these mean, Pironti asked? Defaulting to sharing may be perceived as a violation of privacy, while defaulting to opt-in means you may not be able to take advantage of certain key features.
3. False options
Despite the hype that emerged over this situation, collecting personal data is a common practice. And, with some companies, the option to opt-out isn’t even on the table.
For example, Pironti said, Google admits to caching every search request since day one and they have a massive amount of metadata around those requests. They’ve never lied about that, but they also never presented a distinct option to opt-out if you want to use their services.
Microsoft, on the other hand, did present a way to opt-out, but it didn’t work the way it was expected to work.
“I think the big difference you’re running into when we look at Microsoft is that you were given the option to disable and that option is false,” Pironti said.
In the grand scheme of things, the bigger issue is that users believed they had an out when, in fact, they didn’t. Microsoft and other tech companies need to be more transparent about the limitations of their policies.
“Transparency along with simple-to-understand privacy language and ability to easily set and control one’s privacy settings should be top of mind for all companies today,” Davis said.
4. Privacy is subjective
The answer to the question of how much privacy we should expect will be different depending on who you ask. Most people have at least one conspiracy theorist in their friend group or family who may desire more privacy than the average user.
These differences also extend out along demographic lines as well. Pironti said that many Millennial users feel as if they don’t have privacy any more and they are more willing to give up privacy for more features. While older users still tend to be less trusting and more wary.
Personal information is collected and used for a variety of reasons, but it is usually something benign like advertising or personalizing an application, Fossen said. Bear in mind, though, once your information has been commoditized in a way you don’t like, there is almost no way to reverse it.
“If you trust Microsoft to protect your interests, and you trust the technical skill of Microsoft’s engineers to protect your information, then sign up for everything without reservation,” Fossen said.
5. Companies vs. users
The impact of the controversy surrounding Windows 10 didn’t actually deal a major blow to Microsoft. The initial install rate was very high, and the stories that broke about the privacy issues in the OS didn’t appear to slow it much.
When asked if he thought users had lost trust in Microsoft, Pironti said he didn’t think they had. As public as the issues were, if everyone was truly worried, he said, there would be a higher rate of uninstalls of the OS.
Fixing the problem requires effort from both tech companies and their users. Microsoft and other tech giants need to be more forthcoming about their treatment of personal information and they must spell it out clearly in official documentation. Things like Google’s privacy dashboard are a good start.
Users must push back on features they are not comfortable with. Facebook, for example, has changed its privacy guidelines many times. Sometimes, the user base has pushed back against these changes and Facebook has had to back off on certain updates.
So far, Pironti said, what we’ve seen is just an initial reaction to change. The tech market will continue to shift and users will grow alongside it in their reactions and responses.
“Like everything else, we’ll adapt and we’ll have to decide what are our reasonable expectations and what are the limits we’re willing to accept and not accept,” Pironti said. “And, I think that we’ll learn together with Microsoft and they will adjust their approach the same.”


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Can you spot tech's next big thing? Check out ten hot new ideas, fresh from the Demo show, that could impact the way you work and play.
11 of 11
Demo conferences are punctuated with "Sage Panels," consisting of venture capitalists providing their assessments of the demos they've seen. One word, like "underwhelming," from a VC in a public forum like Demo can melt a startup's prospects.
Google in the Enterprise SurveyThere's no doubt Google has made headway into businesses: Just 28 percent discourage or ban use of its productivity products, and 69 percent cite Google Apps' good or excellent mobility. But progress could still stall: 59 percent of nonusers distrust the security of Google's cloud. Its data privacy is an open question, and 37 percent worry about integration.


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CSG® (NASDAQ: CSGS) today announced that its Board of Directors approved the Company’s quarterly cash dividend payment of $0.28 per share of common stock to be paid on December 22, 2023 for shareho...
DENVER: CSG® (NASDAQ: CSGS) today announced that its Board of Directors approved the Company’s quarterly cash dividend payment of $0.28 per share of common stock to be paid on December 22, 2023 for shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 13, 2023.
CSG empowers companies to build unforgettable experiences, making it easier for people and businesses to connect with, use and pay for the services they value most. Our customer experience, billing and payments solutions help companies of any size make money and make a difference. With our SaaS solutions, company leaders can take control of their future and tap into guidance along the way from our fiercely committed and forward-thinking CSGers around the world.
Want to be future-ready and a change-maker like the global brands that trust CSG? Visit csgi.com to learn more.Contacts
+1 (210) 687-4409
Fonte: Business Wire
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